Japan online casinos

Published October 8, 2018Updated February 06 , 2019

This website hopes to keep you abreast of the latest developments in the casino world in Japan.

We will keep you in the loop from topics as vast as progress in the fight to get land-based casinos legalised in this beautiful country, to the best websites to play all the casino classics in a safe virtual environment.

The future of gambling in Japan is so uncertain, perhaps the only thing certain about it is that the people love to gamble. We will do our best to cut through the crap and provide clear incisive information.

Land-based casinos in Japan

In 2018, the Shinzo Abe administration adopted new legislation that eliminated the nationwide ban on casino gambling. The Japanese government will issue three licences for integrated resorts (IR) that combine gaming facilities with luxury hotels, conference centres, entertainment, shopping, dining and more. Potential locations include Hokkaido and Osaka, with the first venues set to open from 2020.

Japan online casinos

Japan is like many other countries in the world in that they have not specifically addressed online casinos in their laws, other than to ban them being hosted on Japanese shores.

This means Japanese punters can visit online casinos hosted in other countries with a minimum of fuss and play their favourite games like online slots, blackjack, baccarat, roulette and poker at safe, trustworthy websites.

While not every online casino will cater for the Japanese Yen (JPY) and not every casino will accept players from Japan, there is a strong selection using leading software providers allowing players from here.

This website will teach you how to play at online casinos safely from Japan, from your desktop PC, your handheld device like a smartphone or tablet and even on your televisions.

Technology is changing rapidly in the online gambling scene and OnlineCasinoSite.com will be there to cover every step, whether it be the latest blackjack release or a change in legislation.

Best online casinos for Japan

Online Casino Site prides itself on only recommending online casinos with reputations for safety and reliability. They must have plenty of deposit options, easy and fast withdrawals, they must have a good selection of games, including live dealer, and most importantly they must have a great customer service department. Follow the links below to read in-depth reviews of the top-ranked casinos for Japanese gamblers.

Welcome bonuses & other promotions for Yen players

When you initially sign up at an online casino it has become almost customary to receive a sign-up bonus or welcome package. These can come in many forms but usually involve the player getting a substantial amount of money for nothing.

No deposit bonuses: These are given to players as a way to get them through the virtual doors of casinos. They are usually $10 or another small denomination and generally have strict wagering requirements (so you can’t withdraw the money immediately).

Match deposits: Often your welcome package will be a match deposit bonus up to a certain amount, like deposit $500 and receive an extra $500 bonus to bet with.

Free spins: You will often hear this term thrown around when you are talking about online casinos. It simply means you are rewarded with free spins for your efforts.

Games at online casinos

The beautiful thing about gambling at online casinos is the availability of games. It doesn’t matter if you are in Tokyo or New Zealand you will have 100s of games that you can play.

Slots: Are a mainstay of online casinos and hugely popular with Japanese players. There are many good providers of online slots including BetSoft, Microgaming, NetEntertainment, Playtech and others. Prize pools can go into the millions and like land-based slots there is a minimum payout guarantee.

Blackjack: Online casinos have more 21 games than you could ever possibly play. If you look hard enough you should be able to find a blackjack game with a favourable house edge to the player.

Baccarat: Baccarat is often the domain of high rollers, with millions being spent on each spin, but online you will find tables to suit all types of bettors.

Roulette: A favourite of casino players and one of the most popular online as well. You will find European roulette at almost every online casino.

Poker: You will find every variation of poker online, including Texas Hold’em and Stud Poker. You will find variations played against the dealer like Casino Hold’em at gambling websites.

Live dealer casino games

Without a doubt online casinos were relatively bland until the emergence of live dealer.

What is live dealer you might ask?

It’s a stream of a real human dealer playing out your game of choice. For example you might be playing blackjack on your computer. On your screen you would see a video feed of a dealer doing their thing.

To place your bets you have a graphical table that allows you to place chips, bet behind, play side games and do everyone else you would do in a land-based venue.

Game available at land-based venues include various blackjack titles, roulette, baccarat, casino hold’em and many more.

Deposits & withdrawals at online casinos

While there have been some reports of credit cards being rejected for Japanese players when depositing at online casinos, in mid 2018 there is minimal complaints.

Common types of cards in Japan include Visa and MasterCard, with the minimum and maximum amounts of Yen usually determined by the individual’s bank.

You can also opt to do a bank transfer, where you send money from your account to the casinos account; which often allows you to deposit much greater amounts.

Web wallets like Neteller are also available to deposit Yen into your casinos account.

Keep in mind there are a lot of casinos that will accept Yen but will not support this currency, so your funds will be converted into another currency.

Withdrawals can be any number of ways, including via bank transfer and the old fashioned check.

Who we are

OCS is run by a team of experienced journalists in the casino field. We work full time in the industry and have a broad range of interests in real money casino gaming. Several members of our staff have lived in Japan and understand the landscape of casino gambling in this country. In time we hope to translate and report on this website in the local Japanese dialect. If you would like to reach us we can be contacted at our ‘contact us’ page.